GRIM TALES

RIK MAYALL - "NARRATOR"

"Grim Tales" was a British children's television program based on fairy tales by the Brothers Grimm, featuring Rik Mayall as the storyteller dressed in his pyjamas and dressing gown. The twenty-two episodes were broadcast on ITV from 14 April 1989 until 17 March 1991. Mayall tells the tales in his own inimitable way from his armchair, designed David Barrington Holt, complete with paws and ostrich legs. The set was designed by building designer Julian Cripps. The stories are almost all interspersed with animation, often fairly abstract, and are directed by Bob Baldwin, with music by composed by Ged Haney & arranged by Clive Bell. The stories were adapted by Anne Caulfield and Anthony Horowitz. Rik Mayall was one of the first of the alternate comedians in the United Kingdom. Born on 7 March 1958, he sadly passed away on 9 June 2014. SERIES 1 1.01 The Three Feathers (First Broadcast 14 April 1989) Animation by Emma Calder Ivor Wood and Ged Haney Pearly Oyster Productions Woodland Animations Ltd 1.02 The Spirit in the Bottle (First Broadcast 21 April 1989) Animation by Jonathan Hodgson Moises Macasinag 1.03 The Hare and the Hedgehog (First Broadcast 28 April 1989) Animation by Mike Bennion Andrew Gentle & Keith Rogerson & David Hilberman 1.04 The Valiant Little Tailor (First Broadcast 5 May 1989) Animation by Jonathan Webber Larry Scholl & Gary Hurst 1.05 Rapunzel (First Broadcast 12 May 1989) Animation by Gill Bradley Derek Carter 1.06 The Fisherman and His Wife (First Broadcast 19 May 1989) Animation by Andy Staveley Derek Mogford 3 Peach Animation 1.07 The Three Little Men in the Wood (First Broadcast 26 May 1989)Animation by Anna Louise Roberts 1.08 Hansel and Gretel (First Broadcast 2 June 1989) Animation by Mole Hill Ivor Wood & Julian Roberts & Steve Roberts FilmFair 1.09 Rumpelstiltskin (First Broadcast 9 June 1989) Animation by Faulty Optics Theatre of Animation 1.10 The Twelve Huntsmen (First Broadcast 16 June 1989) Animation by Mike Smith Sahin Ersoz Derek Carter & Susan Young & Larry Scholl & Andrew Gentle 1.11 Sweet Porridge (First Broadcast 23 June 1989) Animation by David Lodge Robert Clark Snapper 1.12 The Three Doctors (First Broadcast 30 June 1989) Animation by Joan Ashworth Derek Mogford, 3 Peach Animation SERIES 2 2.01 The Bremen Town Musicians (First Broadcast 13 January 1991) 2.02 The Witch Among Thorns (First Broadcast 20 January 1991) Animation by Jayne Bevitt Thomas E.Decker & Hannah Strange Russ Mooney 2.03 The Griffin (First Broadcast 27 January 1991) Animation by Jonathan Bairstow Robert Clark & Peter Richardson Derek Mogford 2.04 The Frog Prince (First Broadcast 3 February 1991) 2.05 The Boots of Buffalo Leather (First Broadcast 10 February 1991) 2.06 The Gnome (First Broadcast 17 February 1991) Animation by Tobias Fouracre Munir Bhatti 2.07 King Thrushbeard (First Broadcast 24 February 1991) 2.08 The Turnip (First Broadcast 3 March 1991) Animation by Mike Walker Ivor Wood 2.09 The Little Peasant (First Broadcast 10 March 1991) 2.10 The Wolf and the Seven Little Kids (First Broadcast 17 March 1991)

The following are some clips from the show:

Grim Tales hosted by Rik Mayall from The Professor on Vimeo.